Image of students discussing assignments.
Class Assessment by Student Interview (CLASSI) is a mid-semester service that allows students to reflect on their course and offer anonymous feedback. The power of CLASSI is that it helps instructors to identify themes about their students' experiences as well as the proportion of students who are affected by each theme.

This service is available upon the instructor's request. Please contact the Center for Teaching to schedule a CLASSI.

Benefits of CLASSI

  • Generates rich and useful data about the students' experience
  • Results are confidential
  • Strategies for interpreting and using the findings

How CLASSI Works

CLASSIs are conducted during the middle of the semester and are best suited for a class of 50 or fewer students. The process takes about 30 minutes at the end of a class, during which the instructor is not present. It is best to schedule a CLASSI so that it does not occur immediately before or after giving or returning an exam. A Center for Teaching staff member facilitates the feedback session, first asking students to provide anonymous feedback in small groups and then individually. Here are the three questions asked to students:

  • What does your instructor do that helps you learn?
  • What gets in the way of your learning?
  • What can you do to improve your own learning?

The Center for Teaching staff will record not only specific responses, but also the extent to which individual students agree with each response. A few days after the CLASSI instructors will consult one-on-one with the staff member to review findings and discuss how to best interpret and use the information.

The purpose of mid-semester feedback is not to undertake a wholesale course redesign, but to adjust and hone learning opportunities for students during the remainder of the semester. Small adjustments can make big differences to students—especially if they believe they have participated in making the course better for all. 

Resources

Resources 
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Center for Teaching
The Center for Teaching exists to support excellence in teaching and learning through institutes, workshops, programs and one-on-one consultation. We offer support and resources for any instructor, administrator or staff member involved in teaching and learning at the University of Iowa.
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SERVICE
Classroom Observation
Classrooms observations are a service provided by the Center for Teaching upon an instructor's request. Staff will attend a class to observe and provide feedback to instructors on a variety of topics such as student interaction with instructors, classroom delivery style and use of teaching technologies. This service is voluntary and confidential.
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